» Telangana Parties Asked To Remove Poll Banners In 24 Hours
Parties Asked To Remove Poll Banners In 24 Hours
The Election Commission has directed the political parties in Telangana to remove in 24 hours all the election-related advertisements put up by them from every public place.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana Rajat Kumar today said that the Election Commission was fully geared up for conducting elections to the 119 Assembly constituencies of Telangana.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat after the EC declared the schedule for elections for Telangana and four other states, he said that the Model Code of Conduct was in force in the state, and directed the political parties to remove in 24 hours all the election-related advertisements, banners, cutouts, hoardings etc put up by them from railway stations, bus stations and government offices. The parties could paste posters on walls only after taking permission from the house owners, and any violation of the code of conduct regarding advertising would result in the EC taking serious action, he warned.
Advertisement expenditure and related details also needed to be submitted to the EC, Kumar said. The EC officials in the state and districts would monitor the ads closely, he added.
The EC would also press in flying squads and mobile teams to check the flow of illegal money, liquor, contraband etc by using the police force, Kumar said. Leaders should also stop using official vehicles and resources with immediate effect, and stop development works in 72 hours, he added.
As part of the poll arrangements a 24-hour monitoring cell has been set up, and complaints about anything to do with the elections can be made on the number 1950.